Shiv Sena rejects post of deputy chief minister after Devendra Fadnavis and Uddhav Thackeray's meeting ahead of Cabinet expansion, say sources

As Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Uddhav Thackeray met on Friday to discuss the cabinet expansion in Maharashtra, sources said that Shiv Sena rejected the post of Deputy Chief Minister to avoid infighting in the party. 

As per sources, instead of Deputy CM post, Shivsena will now get 2-3 cabinet posts in the upcoming cabinet expansion. Though industry minister Subhash Desai and PWD minister Eknath Shinde were lobbying for deputy CM post, Shiv Sena decided to not take the post. The party is now eying on the Chief Minister's post for Uddhav's son Aaditya Thackeray if the BJP-Sena alliance wins the state elections.

Sources also informed that the cabinet expansion is likely to be held on June 16 at Raj Bhavan. Meanwhile, news agency ANI was quoted saying that Avinash Mahtekar senior leader of the Republican party of India will be given a berth in the cabinet expansion.

On Saturday, Fadnavis took to Twitter to inform that he met the Sena chief and had a detailed conversation on Cabinet expansion that is supposed to happen before the commencement of Monsoon session in the Maharashtra assembly. 

On June 14, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant iterated the party's stance that CM post must be shared as per seat-sharing formula and said that Aaditya Thackeray is the rising sun and that Maharashtra needs him. 

READ: "Shiv Sena And Other Allies Will Get As Per Their Expectations", Says Maharashtra BJP Minister Stating That CM Devendra Fadnavis Will Expand His Cabinet Ahead Of Monsoon Session

Speaking to Republic TV on Thursday he added:

"He is the rising sun on the political horizon now and the country needs such young leaders who have got such deep study and a vision too. According to the vision, he acts also. There are people who talk about him but I feel proud that he is our leader. The country needs it and right now it's a good launching. Maharashtra is waiting for him."

Informing about the expansion, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Maharashtra minister had earlier said: ""Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has decided that Maharashtra Cabinet expansion will be done before the upcoming Maharashtra assembly session, soon all will hear the good news. Shiv Sena and other allies will get as per their expectations."

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